


Family

by Rahn (Rahndom)



Category: Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, x-over
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-01
Updated: 2013-07-01
Packaged: 2017-12-16 19:51:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/865958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahndom/pseuds/Rahn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>X-over between Young Justice Cartoon (Season 1) and Teen Titans Comics (V3). In a world where the order of the Robins was reversed Robin and his older brother, the Red Robin decide to show Superboy that, while he might not have a father in Superman, he will always have an older brother in Kon-El.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It all began when Dick decided Conner was too young to be having a conversation with Superman alone and eavesdropped on them, eyeing the way Superman kept looking outside of the window and Conner trying to pretend that this did not hurt him.

He frowned.

“Look, Superboy, I’m sure Captain Marvel will be more than glad to…” Superman said, only to be interrupted by the teen.

“Conner,” he hissed. “My name is Conner.”

Dick immediately knew it was a bad idea when Superman’s eyes widened and his hands clenched so hard everyone within a ten mile radius could hear his bones cracking. With a hiss he grabbed his comm and called Batman for a second opinion. Knowing his mentor, he was the only one capable of stopping a catastrophe.

Sure enough, Batman materialized from the shadows, his eyes narrowed behind his cowl as he made his way into the room, arms crossed over his chest.

“Superman,” he hissed, making Conner and Clark jump.

The older Kryptonian turned to him then, eyes wide.

“Who named HIM Conner?” he growled, trying to ignore the way Superboy flinched at his side.

“J’onn did,” Bruce replied evenly, not wincing at all when the man of steel flew away through a wall. He didn’t want to be the Martian right at this moment.

“Batman?” Dick asked carefully, his hand reaching for Superboy’s as the teen slumped his shoulders and his cheeks flushed in embarrassed despair. The man sighed, staring at them.

“It’s not your fault, Superboy,” he said, reaching into his belt. “Robin, go with Superboy to the meeting room, I will debrief the other members and catch up to you.”

“Okay,” Dick said, gently tugging the larger teen towards the room, carefully easying him as to not to make him snap. Superboy’s temper was known to the whole team and to incur in his wrath was a certain death sentence.

“Are you okay, Suppey?” he asked, his thumb caressing the other boy’s hand.

“Is there something wrong with my name?” the teen asked, his head lowered. “Apart from everything my name is wrong as well?”

Robin sighed, letting Superboy’s hand go and climbing onto his back to snuggle his massive body. It was something he used to do to Bruce when he was younger and it always seemed to make the older man feel better.

This time was no exception, Conner’s shoulders relaxed, his back curled gently to accommodate Dick’s weight and his hands held his legs to prevent his fall.

Dick smiled.

“It’s not your name, Supey,” he whispered, nuzzling the other boy’s neck with his nose. “Superman’s being hurt before and… he’s afraid that if he loves you he’ll get hurt again. Despite his size he’s a giant softy, sort of like you.”

Conner tensed.

“You seem to know a lot about this,” he whispered, sitting on the couch and easing the boy from his grip.

“My brother was involved, in a way, but it’s not my story to tell, sorry,” he said apologetically, his arms still around Superboy’s shoulders.

“I didn’t know you had a brother,” Conner mussed, staring at their entwined hands.

“He’s not my brother per-se, but to me he is,” Dick laughed. “You remind me of him, you know? All mopey and frowny.”

Conner nodded, not sure he understood the comparison, but Robin seemed to think highly of this not-brother of his, and therefore he guessed it was a compliment to be compared to him. Idly, he wondered what it would be like to have a brother of his own, someone that shared experiences and family with him.

He shook his head.

Clones didn’t have families, he reminded himself, not the way M’gann and Wally and Robin did, at least.

Suddenly, Wally was in the room, spinning around them so fast that Conner felt annoyed and Dick a little nauseous, his babbling reaching new heights as he tried to explain to his comrades that Batman had decided to leave a new Den Mother for them for the weekend, the most awesome, legendary Den Mother in the history of the universe and they were going to spend the weekend with HIM and he would answer all their questions and teach them all HIS LEGENDARY skills and it was going to be awesome and…

“Wally, what the hell are you talking about?” Dick groaned, hand on his forehead. “Batman brought us a Den Mother and…?”

“And your friend seems to be excited,” called a soft voice from the doorway, startling all three boys. There stood M’gann, eyes full of curiosity, Artemis appreciatively eyeing the newcomer and Kaldur proudly leading their… Den Mother to meet the rest of the team.

Dick’s eyes widened in delight.

“Red!” he cried, jumping from the couch to wrap arms and legs around the older teen standing besides Kaldur. His red and black uniform striking his resemblance to Dick’s strongly. “You are back from Hong Kong!!”

“Helly, night wing,” the older teen greeted, a touch of warmth in his quiet voice. “Have you behaved yourself?”

Dick nodded enthusiastically, his cheeks flushing when Red smiled at him and patting his head.

Artemis and M’gann sat with Conner, still eyeing the older hero curiously.

“Who is that?” Conner asked, blinking.

“Batman said his name is Red Robin,” M’gann replied. “But apart from that I don’t know much.”

“He looks good,” Artemis grinned, crossing her arms.

“Good?” Wally asked, eyes wide. “GOOD?! That’s THE Red Robin! Batman’s first Robin and the leader of the TITANS! Legend says he went head to head with Wonder Girl and won! Hell, he even defeated The Demon’s Head in a battle of wits and threw him out of Gotham on his own!!”

“What Wally wants to say,” Kaldur sighed, placing a hand on the excited speedster’s arm. “Is that Red Robin is a very respected hero and we are very lucky to have him with us.”

Conner nodded, staring as Dick continued to hug the older boy and demand pats on the head and cuddles as his ‘little brother’ rights and have Red Robin indulge him with a tired huff. He imagined that it must be nice, to have a brother then, if Dick was any indication. He wondered if he could ask Cadmus to clone him one.

“Everyone!” Dick yelled. “This is my older brother!! Red, this is everyone! You already met Wally and Kaldur and M’gann and Artemis, so you only need to meet Supey!”

Red Robin nodded, his smile small and tender.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Superboy, Robin has told me a lot about you,” he greeted, offering his hand. “Nice T-shirt.”

“Thank you, hello,” Conner said, shaking the offered hand. There was something about this teen, this young man that made him feel at ease, like the world was right because he was standing there, in front of him. “Call me Conner, please.”

Red Robin flinched a little, almost unperceptively for those without super vision, before shaking his head.

“Is it okay if I call you by something else?” he asked with a sad smile and Conner found himself nodding, not wanting the sadness to spread through that boy’s face. Red Robin nodded gratefully.

Dick stared as his brother and Superboy interacted, his frown deepening when Tim’s small smile turned melancholic. He guessed his brother and himself had a lot to talk about.

Red Robin suddenly cleared his throat. His face turning as stone cold as his mentor’s.

“It is late and I will train all of you tomorrow morning,” he said. “Go to bed now or suffer the consequences.”

The team was ready to laugh at the obvious joke when they heard Dick gulp and dash towards his designated bedroom, followed by a frantic Wally and a flushed Kaldur.

“You don’t want to test him!” Dick cried over his shoulder as he ran up the stairs. “Red’s a sadist!”

Artemis and M’gann stared at eachother for a moment, contemplating whether it was a good idea for them to try and test the older hero’s patience before deciding they’d better not risk it and dashing after the boys up the stairs.

Red Robin stared at Superboy then, his eyebrow raising visibly under his cowl.

“Well?” he asked.

“What?” Superboy asked. “It’s not as if you can possibly hurt me.”

A cold, sardonic smirk curled Red Robin’s lips.

“Oh?” he said, hands on his hips. “You know what? Don’t go to bed, one of the reasons I accepted to come here was because I have business with you.”

“Business…” the clone repeated, eyes wide and confused. Red Robin nodded.

“There is someone you have to meet,” he said slowly. “Someone who has been expecting for you to be ready.”

“Am I ready?” the boy asked, watching Red Robin nod.

“It doesn’t matter, really,” he shrugged. “No one is ever ready for him.”

As silently as they could, they abandoned the cave, Red Robin riding his byke at top speed and grinning when Superboy clung to him in fright. As if he couldn’t hurt him, he laughed.

From his window, Dick watched them leave with a bright grin, his hand on his comm as he called.

“Report,” Batman said as a way of greeting, his voice gruff and sleep deprived. He guessed his mentor was as nervous as he was.

“They left already, no one suspected a thing,” Dick said softly, smiling. “Wally will be so disappointed when he realizes Tim is not going to teach him a thing.”

“It had to be done,” Bruce said, and his voice revealed that he couldn’t care less about Kid Flash’s disappointment.

“Without Superman’s notice, I know,” Dick sighed. “I just hope Supey won’t freak out, I mean, Sups can be… distressing?”

“Tim can deal with whatever those two throw at him,” Batman replied. “However, if you want you can follow them tomorrow morning.”

“I would like that, yes,” Dick said eagerly.

“Very well, I’ll send you a mission before breakfast, and remember, Dick…”

“… don’t let anyone suspect or the League will kick our asses, I know,” the boy giggled, leaning against the window. “You do know they wouldn’t do a thing to you, right? I mean, you are Batman.”

“I am interfering in something I have no right to touch,” Bruce said. “Clark would try to stop this.”

“So it’s not you, it was one of Tim’s outrageous ideas,” Dick ventured, grinning.

Bruce shrugged over the com, his voice echoing his amusement.

“He always comes up with the suicide missions,” he commented, his fingers clicking over the computer. “Go to bed, tomorrow you’ll go after your brother.”

“Thanks, Bruce,” he said with a smile. “For giving Supey a chance.”

“Hm,” Bruce replied, his dislike for the clone evident. “Good night, Dick.”

“Good night, Bruce,” he said, closing the connection. With a laugh he jumped to his bed and laid staring at the ceiling, unable to stop his enormous smile. “We know Bats can’t give you a real dad, Supey, so I hope you enjoy your older brother,” he whispered into the night. “I’m sure you’ll love Kon.”


	2. Chapter 2

When they finally arrive at their destination, Superboy can’t believe he is standing in front of the famed Fortress of Solitude, it’s enormous ice structure regal under the pale sunlight. Red Robin is standing before it nonchalantly, typing the access code on his computer without bothering to try the lock.

“Superman doesn’t know I have access to this place, and I’d rather keep it that way,” the older teen explains simply, his slender shoulder shrugging with elegance Superboy doesn’t think he might be able to achieve in his lifetime.

“Batman’s protégé sneaks behind Superman’s back,” Superboy snaps, rolling his eyes, and freezing when the young man in the bird-like cowl turns to him with an unamused curl of his lips.

“Batman’s former protégé is trying to do you a favor, kid,” he says coldly. “Therefore you will keep your mouth shut before I decide you are not worth my time after all.”

Superboy narrows his eyes but obediently goes silent, unable to admit – even to himself – that the imposing presence of the human before him has intimidated him. An answering growl made it past his lips as his arms crossed over his chest. Who does this guy think he is? He’s smaller than Superboy himself and most probably weaker – that’s a given, if he’s a Bat, he has no powers to speak of – plus, he can’t be all that much older than him, give or take a year.

He stops when he remembers that he is only one year old.

“Come, Superboy, we have access,” Red Robin says, smirking as he watches the gigantic doors open a little, just enough for a human to pass through. His slender hands reach for his cowl and pull it back without really worrying that someone might be looking and the young clone must take a step back as the face of a normal, sweet-looking young man is revealed to him. Those pale blue eyes are not what he expected from the sullen vigilante, nor are his high cheekbones and small nose.

He looks like a girl.

Fearing what might happen to him, however, he follows the human into Superman’s secret lair, knowing it might be his only chance to explore the place but unable to tear his eyes away from the figure walking lightly before him as he removes cape and gauntlets, his black hair dancing in the air as he shakes his head.

“Kon?” he calls out, his voice going from the freezing disdain Superboy has grown accustomed to, to a soft and fond lilt that he hadn’t thought the older young man capable of. “Kon, I’m here. I brought you a little surprise.”

Pale eyes turn to regard him before a small laugh escapes equally pale lips.

“Well, not so little, really.”

“Tim?” a voice calls. “I’m in the showers! Gimme a second!”

Red Robin, Tim – what kind of name is  _Tim_  for a superhero, really, thinks Superboy – crosses his arms over his small chest with a huff, his hair falling into his eyes.

“Are you decontaminating again? Is it the radiation?” he calls back, walking towards a separate set of doors. “Or just washing off the sweat? You know you are not supposed to over train yourself just yet.”

“Awww, Tim!” the voice complains. “I get bored all alone in here! You hardly come over anymore!”

“I don’t think I’m on Superman’s favorite people’s list anymore, Kon,” Tim replies, smiling. “We’ve been through this.”

“Maybe you could come in here and make it up to me?” the voice suggests, going a little deeper. Superboy stares as the tips of Red Robin’s ears turn slightly pink.

“Not the best of times, Kon,” the teen sighs. “Just hurry up, won’t you? Or I might take your surprise away.”

“Is it the outfit we discussed the other day? Because it would be just what I need right now ~ “

“Say hi, kid,” Tim orders when the voice starts to laugh loudly, turning to Superboy with the most endearing flush on his pale face.

“Um…” Superboy says softly. “Hi?”

The sound of the shower stops at the same moment the laughter dies and the clone can feel unseen eyes roaming over his skin before a loud curse is heard and a figure – a  _naked_  figure – is flying through the doors and jumping the Red Robin with a squeal.

“Oh my god! You did it! You actually did it!” a tall man says with obvious glee, crushing the smaller man to his chest –  _naked_  chest – and floating around the room. “You brought him!! Yay!! I finally get to meet him!! You are the bestest Tim in the whole wide world and I love you! Have I told you how much I love you recently? No matter! I have a list in here somewhere because you like lists and things and-“

“Kon,” Tim interrupts, placing both hands on the other man’s shoulders – naked shoulders – and pushing him gently away. “You are scaring him.”

The other man stops, his face still tightly buried on the smaller teen’s shoulder, before they descend in front of Superboy – whose eyes are wide and disbelieving of the whole situation – before they separate and wide sky-blue eyes are staring into his own and a mirror of his own face – thought a little older – is grinning back with an enormous amount of enthusiasm the young clone has never seen.

He takes a step back, shocked.

“You…” he whispers, unable to believe his eyes as he takes in the muscled chest, the thick arms, the short cropped black hair and the calloused hands running through it.

“Hello,” the other man greets in a fit of shyness unlike him. “I’m Kon.”

Tim nods by his side, a small smile parting his lips.

“There is another clone?” the younger clone asks, feeling something inside of him tighten. “Are you like Match?”

Kon frowns.

“You met Match?” he asks.

Superboy nods.

“Down at Cadmus’ labs,” he explains, feeling self-conscious. There is another clone like himself, but not quite. Just like Match, this clone can fly – and does so quite naturally – he has gotten older, has grown, is currently living in Superman’s Fortress of Solitude.

This clone has everything he has ever wished.

“Not a good thing, that Match,” Kon sighs, shaking his head. “You didn’t kill him, though, did you? He’s just… confused?”

“He’s a psychopath, Kon, accept it,” Tim admonishes, shaking his head. The older clone pouts.

“He’s family nonetheless,” he protests, crossing his arms. “You are not the only one with a dysfunctional family member, you know?”

“Don’t bring Jason into this conversation, will you?” Tim hisses, narrowing his eyes.

“He IS a psycho!” Kon replies. “He almost killed little Dickie last time they met!”

“He wasn’t like that at the beginning!”

“He’s like that now!”

Superboy watches them argue back and forth and feels whatever is growing in his chest tighten and coil, his hands clench into fist and the unreasonable urge to run away, to hide from this man, this confirmation that it is not the circumstances of his birth that have taken all he has ever wanted from him.

The living confirmation that something IS wrong with him is standing right there, in front of him.

It hurts.

“Kon,” Tim sighs, eyeing Superboy’s tensing body. “Now it’s not the time.”

“Right!” the older man says, shaking his head and finally turning to smile brightly at Superboy. “What I’m trying to say here is that…”

He swallows, a flush spreading over his skin.

“My name is Kon,” he says, opening his arms. “And I’m your brother.”

Superboy stares at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in shock.

“Wha-?” he asks, less than articulate. “I’m a clone, and so are you. There is no family among clones…”

Kon tilts his head.

“But your genetic material comes from the same source as mine, right?” he asks, grinning when the confused Superboy nods. “Then you are my baby brother!”

“I have another donor apart from Superman, though,” Superboy protests, not wanting to get his hopes up with such a distressing situation.

“Lex Luthor, right?” Kon asks, smiling when the younger clone gapes. “Don’t worry, he was my other donor as well. The man is too much of an egomaniac not to clone himself in you are well.”

“Superman doesn’t like me…” Superboy tries to reason with a growl, hiding his awkwardness, his hurt with his usually short temper and finds himself even more uncomfortable when the other clone just laughs.

“That’s Clark for you!” he says, shaking his head. “It took him almost five years to even acknowledge me, much less give me a name! Don’t worry, deep inside he’s a big softy but it takes a while for him to get used to change. We’ll go to the farm and Ma’ will talk to him.”

“Ma’…” Superboy repeats, in shock.

“It must be a lot for you… all this…” Kon says sympathetically, turning to Tim. “Didn’t you warn him beforehand?”

Tim shrugs.

“He had an attitude, plus we had little time to leave the base before Superman caught wind I was going to teach the Young Justice,” he explains simply, earning a fond smile from the bigger man.

“Sadist, that’s what you are,” he says gently. “Now you, come here, I’ve been waiting for months to do this!”

Without another word, Kon tackles his younger brother, wrapping thick arms around his slightly smaller frame and cradling him gently towards his still wet chest, his enormous hands running over his dark hair.

Superboy tenses immediately, feeling the strength contained in that similar body and knowing himself unable to escape until the older clone lets him go.

“Don’t worry, bro,” Kon says soothingly. “Do one’s gonna harm you. Fuck what Clark and The League have to say, you are my brother and I will protect you from now on.”

Superboy doesn’t want to trust this stranger’s words, they are too different, Kon appears to be the perfect clone Cadmus always wanted, and just standing in front of him makes him feel more like a failure, but his embrace is warm and his hands comforting, the steady beating of his heart matches his own and for once in his short life… he feels home.

His own arms involuntarily rise to wrap around the other clone’s waist and his head drops to rest on the broad shoulder before him, eyes closing, a tear slides down his cheek and he lets it, unable to stop a second from escaping and then a third and a fourth. He is not sad however, and with each one, he feels freer.

Kon smells like grass and sunlight and safety and he decides he doesn’t care that Superman might kill him if he is discovered or that Batman himself might find them and skin his former protégé alive for this, he doesn’t want to let go of this brother of his… this family he has found.

Not ever. 


	3. Chapter 3

It takes almost four hours to calm Kon enough not to give his so-called ‘younger brother’ a heart attack with his cuddles and cooing because, hell, his baby bro is so cute and his eyes are so wide and  isn’t he the best?

Tim just stares at them, an eyebrow raised, while shaking his head and reasoning with his best friend that his comments are not valid considering Superboy looks like him and therefore, is not cute.

“Maybe if you shave his head in that ridiculous style you had?” he suggests, only to smirk when Kon had scowled back, a pout curling his lips.      

Superboy had blinked then, before whispering his confusion.

Which was the reason why Kon was perched on Clark’s chair, running file after file on the computer and telling his baby bro of his adventures and the things he did before Clark decided enough was enough and had dragged him, kicking and screaming, to learn how to become a more productive and less rebellious member of society.

“He then shaved my hair, not cool, though,” Kon explained, running his hand through his hair and smirking when Superboy blinked, shocked.

“Superman shoved your head to the ground and sat on top of you to prevent your squirming, Kon,” Tim chirped from the other side of the room, shaking his head as he read some files on his own computer. “You could hear him shrieking for help from Gotham.”

“Not cool, Tim,” Kon pouted. “I was stylish.”

“You looked like a punk,” Tim replied, sighing. “He could have shaved you bald and it would have been an improvement.”

Superboy watched as both teens shared a look, the air growing somber between them before Red Robin lowered his face.

“I’m sorry, I forgot about that time,” he whispered, his eyes set on his hands.

Kon shook his head.

“I will never forget,” he said back, teeth sinking onto his lower lip. “I will never forgive him that.”

“It wasn’t you,” Tim interrupted, eyes rising to meet Kon’s.

“I hurt you,” the other teen hissed. “I broke your fucking arm.”

The exchange prompts Kon into explaining what happened to his brother. The way Luthor had programed him and used him against his friends, against Clark.

How he had broken Tim’s arm.

How he could still deny himself forgiveness.

Superboy stared at Red Robin then, and the way his slender body seemed to physically melt to accommodate Kon’s broader frame against his chest, how those slim arms wrapped protectively around his neck.

The easy companionship.

He felt jealous and humbled at the same time.

Suddenly Red Robin’s pale eyes were staring back at him, cold, calculating, the merciless eyes of someone that wants a particular outcome and will do anything in his power to achieve it.

His slim lips curled upwards.

“Say, Kon,” he whispered, his hair falling into his eyes as his head tilted to the side. “I think your baby bro should be introduced to your particular brand of small pleasures while we still have time.”

“What do you mean by time?” Kon asked, raising an eyebrow. “What did you do this time?”

Red Robin batted his eyelashes, the perfect picture of innocence.

Superboy felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Me?” Red Robin says then, slender shoulders shrugging. “What could I possibly do?”

“Tim!” Kon whines shaking his head. “Clark is already mad at you! I thought you guys made up since you had access to the Fortress.”

“Just enjoy your time, Kon, I estimate about six more hours before I have to leave and take Superboy with me,” Tim says, smiling his best innocent smile, Superboy is surprised, shocked even that Batman’s revered companion can look so innocent and idly wonders if Batman looks like that under his own cowl.

He simply cannot imagine.

So he continues to watch the way Kon and Red Robin seem to be communicating with eyes and body language alone and feels envious of the way the just  _fit_ so perfectly and wishes he might, someday, find someone as perfect for him as Red Robin is for Kon-El.

He can only hope.

After a few minutes, Kon sighs, loudly, and wraps his arms around Superboy’s shoulders, pulling him towards the computer, muttering that they had to make do with the time they are allowed together and that he will spank Tim later because, du’h he’s been such a bad boy.

Both try not to look back when Red Robin simply _growls_.

——

It is two hours later, by the time Kon is almost done with his preparations and Superboy is enraptured by his older brother’s ‘epic collection’ that Tim finally blinks from his computer, rolls his eyes quite frigidly and simply stands from the couch, arms outstretched.

“Boss knows you are here?” he asks the air, his lips curling into a resigned smile when a maniacal giggle pierces the air and Superboy’s eyes grow wide, because Robin is leaping into his brother’s arms and snuggling into his chest like the child he is.

“Of course he does!” Robin defends himself with a pout. “He sent me as backup so you wouldn’t be mean to Suppey!”

“Too late!” Kon laughs, his massive hand ruffling the boy’s hair playfully. “You know Tim, he’s…”

“Easily offended?” Robin laughs.

“Not amused,” Red Robin scowls, removing the still giggling Robin from his person and crossing his arms over his chest. “Report?”

Robin’s spine straightens with military precision, his smile fading.

“The Team grew worried when they woke up and you weren’t there. Wally cried a little and I think Kaldur was pouting, but then Miss M noticed Sups was gone too and they started discussing whether they should call the League to check so I came over to warn you Big and Blue might be on his way right now,” he explains, shaking his head.

“He won’t be happy, that’s for sure,” Red Robin musses, ice blue eyes narrowing.

“Time to move?” Kon musses, wrapping his arms around the wide eyed Superboy and pulling him against his chest.

“You are still weakened and highly radioactive, Kon,” Tim scowls, shaking his head. “No, we’ll face him head on.”

“Dude!” Robin protests, his own face reflecting his worry. “You can’t face Superman head on!”

Red Robin turns to his younger brother, an eyebrow raised.

“Wouldn’t you?” he asks simply. Robin sighs.

“For Suppey? Sure I would!”

“Then stay with your friend and Kon,” the older teen orders, shaking his head. “I think they’ll need you.”

“I’m not letting you do this alone, Tim!” Kon snaps, hands wrapping around Red Robin’s. “Clark…”

Robin seems used to Red Robin and Kon’s arguing, because he simply sits by Superboy’s side, snuggling into his natural warmth and peering over his side to see the screen.

“Don’t worry, Sups,” he says, smiling. “There’s nothing the Titans can’t do.”

Superboy turns to him, then, eyes sad.

“I have an older brother,” he says simply. “Just like you.”

Robin’s smile grows.

“Just like me and kinda like Wally, but that’s another bag of cats, his brother-nephew-grand cousin,” he replies, head resting on the clone’s arm. “I promise to teach you how to torture them all, we can be the babybro team of doom!”

Superboy frowns.

“I am not a baby,” he states, confused.

Robin laughs.

“I’m sure you are to Kon,” he explains.

Superboy’s face grows somber.

“You knew he was here,” he says, and they both know it’s not a question. “Is that why you never called me Conner?”

 Robin’s smile dies and no, Superboy will not mourn its disappearance, it is not logical for him to do so.

“No, I mean, I didn’t think you and Kon should have the same name, even if it was a coincidence, it’s not right,” the other boy sighs. “I knew him, you see, he’s Tim’s best friend after all. But then Kon died and Tim was heartbroken and I wanted to make it better so much.”

Superboy stares at the younger boy with eyes wide and disbelieving, Dick, however is too wound up to stop his embarrassed tirade.

“And then Tim was scourging the globe trying to forget his pain and I know Bart tried too because, dude, they were the triumvirate of doom and all, and suddenly Tim was crying: ‘Dick, they cloned him. Dick, there’s another Kon and he’s alone and they are going to do horrible things with him. Dick, I’m in the middle of space but can’t bear the thought. Dick please’ and I had to do it, because, no one would be happy if you got hurt either.”

“Red Robin found out they cloned Kon after he died,” Superboy surmised, tense. “But couldn’t go and get the clone out of Cadmus and sent you instead to get it… me.”

Robin nods, cheeks flushing.

“It sounds horrible,” he admits. “But Tim really, really, loves Kon and he would never let anyone hurt any part of him.”

“He thought he could replace Kon with me?” Superboy asks, hands tightening.

Dick shakes his head frantically.

“What? No! No way!” he insists. “Tim and Kon are like, different! They went through the whole Superman is a douche fiasco before we did! Tim would never try to replace his Kon with you!”

“Then…?” the clone tilts his head, subdued for now.

Dick tilts his head back, eyes thoughtful.

“If…” he begins. “If Batman got another Robin, because I’m dead, or moved on, or… I don’t know, can’t be Robin any longer… would you think it was me?”

“Of course not,” Superboy replies instantly.

“Why not?” Dick asks. “He would be Robin, like me.”

“You are my Robin,” the clone says simply. “There might be other Robins after you…”

“Batman will always need a Robin,” Dick adds.

“… but no one will be you, ever.”

Dick’s grin is bright and infectious.

It makes Superboy’s heart twist a little.

“I’m unique to you, like Kon’s unique to Tim, and any other Robin or Superboy might be unique to their team,” he finishes, shaking his head. “We got you out because it was the right thing to do; Tim sought you out because he feared Cadmus might do to Kon’s memory.”

“Should I say ‘thank you’ to your brother?”

“I think you should.”

Superboy hesitates.

“He’s scary,” he finally confesses, his cheeks warm.

Dick’s eyes grow wide.

“… you think Tim,  _Tim Timmy Timmers_   _Tim_ , is scary?” he asks in disbelief.

Superboy nods.

“How?”

The younger clone’s eyes drift towards the still arguing couple, and how his older brother is wildly gesticulating, his face red and eyes bright.

Red Robin, on the other hand, is an ice sculpture with his tense muscles, narrowed eyes and expressionless face. There is nothing to indicate he even feels something. Nothing to indicate he is even human.

“He’s like Batman,” he finally decides on.

Robin, unable to help himself, burst into uncontrollable giggles, letting his whole body curl by Superboy’s side as he tries to hold himself upright and utterly fails, tears of mirth rolling down his flushed cheeks within seconds.

“What?” he asks defensively.

Dick stops laughing after a few minutes, eyes still bright and teary, lips rosy.

He shakes his head, looking at the imposing figure of his older brother and how his whole posture closed off in anger.

And the love and tenderness clearly reflected in his eyes.

Well, clear to him that knows him, clear to those few – so very few, too few, he thinks – that have come to know his brother and love him.

“You are right,” he says finally. “Tim definitely is a lot like Batman.”

Superboy follows his eyes to stare at the other teens.

At how Kon is advancing on Red Robin’s personal space, his eyes wide, and how Red Robin raises both hands to illustrate his point, only to have both appendages grasped by the clone and, suddenly, their eyes have locked, their gazes studying eachother and something infinitely tender enters Red Robin’s frigid blue eyes and his fingers are moving to comb Kon’s hair behind his ear – Kon lets him, of course, but never releases Red Robin’s slender wrists – and the clone’s lips deposit a kiss on the human’s palm and the air is intimate again between them.

He flushes.

Robin, smile still on his young face, tugs at his arm, thankfully distracting him.

“Say,” he says. “Why don’t we get you a new name? One that you actually pick for yourself?”

Superboy frowns.

The idea is tantalizing but…

“What if I end up picking someone else’s name anyways?” he asks, hesitant.

“There is always someone who will share a name with you, not the whole name, mind you, but a part of it anyways,” Dick explains. “I have the same name my grandfather had, and Tim is named after a painter, I think.”

Superboy nods, trying to process the idea.

“Then, I can pick another name and no one would mind if someone else already used it?”

“Sure thing,” Dick grins. “And this time it will be more you, because YOU are picking it!”

The clone nods, a small smile curling his lips.

“I would like that.”

Tim and Kon ignore the maniacal giggle that fills the fortress as Dick starts his computer – seven browsers working on full capacity to get the most accurate results possible – and the way Superboy seems to lean in a little too close to the younger vigilante.

Superman is on his way, all four of them know it.

But, for that indefinable moment in the ice, they all think it’s going to be okay. 


	4. Chapter 4

Tension grew thick as time passed by.

Dick tried to keep Superboy busy by making him read as many ridiculous comics out of Kon’s collection as possible, comparing the superheroes there with the ones in their own reality and spouting stupid theory after theory of their multiverse lives in other realities.

“There might be a reality where I’m the eldest child!” he beamed. “I bet I’m the favorite.”

“Keep dreaming, kid!” Kon laughed, wrapping his arms around Tim’s shoulder and nuzzling his cheek with his nose. “Rob here will always be the favorite.”

“I’m trying to work, Kon,” Tim sighed, eyes set on his screen, fingers dancing over the keys. “Bart says hello and that he will be here is we need him, by the way.”

“Tell him we’ll meet him in Honolulu, if things go bad,” Kon pouted, resting his chin on Tim’s shoulder.

“We are not going to Hawaii,” Tim scowled. “You are a right menace over there and you will pervert our brothers.”

Kon’s pout grew.

“You just get jealous I get all the babes,” he sulked, kissing his boyfriend’s cheek.

Superboy stared at the older teenagers, blinking.

“You are my favorite Robin,” he told Dick, tilting his head to the side when Kon laughed loudly and Dick’s cheeks colored a bright red.

“I am?” the smaller teen asked.

Superboy nodded.

“You are the only Robin I know,” he assured. “Your brother is Red Robin, after all, and he is not very likeable. Sulks too much.”

“Look who’s talking,” Tim muttered, shaking his head. “Cassie says she’s patrolling Smallville until she gets notice, Kon.”

“Tell her I say she’s my goddess.”

“Will do.”

Peace seemed to fall upon them, then, but the lingering nervousness in all four could still be felt as the seconds ticked one by one. They all knew they were pretending, they were forcing themselves to be distracted before their personal disaster finally hit.

And all four, in many different ways, could just hope to be prepared.

When Superman finally arrived, everyone at the fortress of solitude was aware of his thundering presence. The way his speed produced a gigantic sonic boom not whistanding, the way heat and anger poured out of his every pore was enough to make Dick ‘eep’ and Superboy want to hide behind his ‘older brother’, but Kon’s hand was tightly wrapped around Red Robin’s, his whole body curling to protect the human teenager, so his older brother’s protection wasn’t an option.

“Kon-El,” Superman growled. “What did you do?”

“I wanted to meet my baby bro, Clark,” the teen scowled. “Tim said you weren’t being nice to him at all.”

Superman’s mirroring scowl deepened.

“Tim,” he hissed. “Of course he had a right to meddle into my personal affairs.”

“Kon’s family will always be important to me,” Tim glared, voice as closest as Batman’s fiercest as ever. “The boy is important to me.”

“Cadmus cloned Kon-El!” Clark bellowed. “They didn’t even care than he could be saved!”

Kon flinched, eyes immediately falling to his bare feet and Superboy could easily understand his feelings. He had been raised as a clone, a tool for Cadmus’ plans that had, somehow found freedom. To open your eyes and immediately know you were nothing but a thing, a weapon to be used and disposed of when you broke, that you were just that replaceable.

It hurt.

He shook his head.

“It’s not his fault, though,” Tim hissed, eyes frigid. Instantly making both clones raise their heads to stare at his determined face “Just like it wasn’t Kon’s fault the first time around and you kept sulking nonetheless.”

Clark’s and Kon’s eyes widened.

“How dare you…” Superman gaped, shocked.

“I was raised by the Batman, I can tell when adults are just sulking instead of taking responsibility for us children,” the teen continued, walking from behind Kon to glare at the older hero. “I also know how lonely it is to be thrust into the world and be rejected over and over by the one that should love you and cherish you the most, so don’t you dare come over here and pretend you know better, you don’t. You didn’t know better five years ago when Kon appeared and you don’t know better now.”

Kon stared at his boyfriend, mouth open in shock. Superboy on the, on the other hand, only had eyes for Superman’s tightening jaw, and the way his eyes were slowly tinting red with fury.

“Tim…” Kon said softly.

“This time,  _Clark_ ,” Tim continued, not a single hint of fear on his eyes. “He doesn’t have to wander around looking for a place to call home, he doesn’t have to wish for a mentor and wonder why he can’t be accepted, because there is people that love him and are willing to welcome him into their lives with or without your approval.”

Superboy’s pale cheeks flushed hotly, a strange, almost painful - yet not really throbbing blossomed in his chest, which only intensified when Kon’s massive hand landed on Red Robin’s shoulder, eyes full of determination.

“Tim’s right, Clark,” he said softly. “You don’t have to approve of Superboy, I want to be his brother and I can teach him a lot! I can take him with me and all, you won’t ever have to hear from us!”

“Kon-El!” Superman snapped. “You are highly unstable and radioactive, plus you don’t understand the whole picture!”

“What’s the whole picture then!” Kon asked back, eyes wide. “What is it that I don’t see!”

“They didn’t even wait for your funeral and started the cloning process, they gave him your data, your clothes, your  _names!_ ” the man of steel hissed. “You weren’t even cold and they were already teaching him all you know, and the league… they gave him your name, your old clothes, as if they didn’t care that…”

He shook his head.

“I can and have forgiven many things, too many, from humanity,” he whispered. “But not this, never this.”

Kon bit his lips.

“I’m sorry you had to mourn me alone,” he said. “I wish I had come back earlier but…”

Superman stared at him, expression painfully bare.

“But…” the clone continued. “You can’t blame him for this, it’s not fair, and you are always fair, Clark, you taught me how to be fair. And it hurts to know that you are letting another kid go through this. I mean, I had Hawaii and Tana and Tim and Bart, and it still hurt so much that you weren’t there. He… he lives in a cave, for god’s sake. He had no name, no house.”

“He has your name,” Superman insisted.

“If he likes it, he can keep it” Kon argued back. “I don’t care about a name, I just want a family.”

Superman shook his head.

“Talk to him,” Tim said, voice devoid of emotions. “Five minutes is all we ask, and if you decide that you can’t stand the thought, it will be okay.”

Kon and Clark turned to stare at the teen.

“What?” Clark asked.

“If you can’t share your family with Superboy,” Tim shrugged. “I’ll share mine.”

Four pairs of blue eyes stared at him in shock.

“What?”

“Tim?”

“Timmy?”

“ _Your_ family?” Superman scoffed, frowning. “I knew Bruce was involved in this.”

“He has nothing to do with this,” Tim scowled. “I’m an emancipated minor, and the head of my family. If you won’t let Superboy be a Kent, then I’ll be more than glad to make him a Drake.”

“Really?” Dick squealed, hand instantly reaching to entwine his fingers with the younger clone.

“No child should have to spend his days on a cave and if I have to become the perfect philanthropist millionaire to ensure he has a safe, stable home and a parent that actually  _cares,_  I will do it,” the teen said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Bruce won’t let you,” Superman challenged.

Tim raised an eyebrow.

“Won’t he?” he replied evenly.

The two stared into eachother’s eyes, refusing to back down.

Finally, Superman’s shoulders slumped.

“I’ll be outside,” he muttered, floating towards the entrance without even looking at the teens.

Tim nodded.

“Tim,” Kon said, voice full of awe. “That was too hot. I’ve never wanted to go to bed with you so bad as I want to now.”

Tim’s shoulders relaxed, a soft flush covering his cheeks.

“Way to kill the mood, Kon,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair and turning to stare at Superboy. “Hey, kid, Superman’s waiting.”

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, Suppey,” Robin advised, his thumb caressing the back of the clone’s hand. “You don’t owe him a thing.”

Superboy nodded, a frown knotting his brow as he stared at the frigid eyes of Red Robin.

“Would you really adopt me…” he hesitated. “If he decides he doesn’t want me?”

Tim nodded.

“I brought the paperwork with me when I came to Mount Justice,” he said evenly. “It’s still in my bag if you want it.”

Superboy lowered his eyes.

“I…” he said, shy. “I like the name Peter, like Spiderman.”

Kon blinked.

Dick laughed.

Tim’s lips relaxed suddenly into a small smile.

“Peter Kent is not bad,” he said absently. “But Peter Drake is good too. Up to you, kid.”

A long sigh escaped Superboy’s lips as he turned to regard his team mate.

“Will you be here when I return?” he asked.

Robin nodded enthusiastically, his eyes bright with excitement. “I will, I promise.”

The clone nodded.

“I’ll be right back,” he said then, slowly walking towards the Fortress’ entrance, almost dragging his feet shyly.

Dick ran to wrap his arms around his older brother’s waist, snuggling his face into the other teen’s side. Kon wrapped an arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders, his eyes full of pride.

Tim watched the younger clone leave, the way his back – for once – was arrow straight and his forehead held high with an indescribable sort of pride.

The pride of one who finally feels he belongs into the world.

And so, while the others watched him.

Peter walked into his future. 


End file.
